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Time to get my modelling mojo back into gear for this group build, and having read Alfred Price's 'The Hardest Day' over and over again over the years I always loved the account of Coastal Command Blenheim's IVFs wading into Stukas after the latter's attack on Thorney Island.

Simple choice then, a 235 Sqaudron Blenheim, and with the Airfix kit fresh on the shelves it had to be this kit.

Obligatory pick of the box.

And now the contents....

Clear parts, decals and mandatory masking set.

I also picked up some background reading as I know nothing about Blenheims!

Second profile down from the top will do nicely for this build.

Now to sort out some codes and serials as I've got nothing in the spares box for this.

I have made some progress on the cockpit and the wing spars and undercarriage bays.

Airfix have provided two very robust wing spars, which also form the front and rear walls of the undercarriage bays, with inserts for the internal structure.

All very nice apart from the two ejector pin marks in the roof of each bay. Nothing major, and probably not something that will ever be seen, but it bugged me, so both had a disc of styrene glued in and sanded smooth.

The cockpit also suffers from a few ejector pin marks which were treated in the same way but only the ones which would be visible once the rest of the pit was installed.

The pit itself is very nice straight of the box, so I'll just be adding seat belts, and the shot below shows the pilots seat and rear bulkhead.

I've also dipped all the clear parts in Future in preparation for masking up.

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Excellent Karl, like you I had been inspired by Dr. Alfred Price's book and the part following the Stuka's attack on Ford, Gosport and Thorney Island when they get caught by the various defending RAF aircraft is brilliantly written...

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As per my last post, some pics of the parts with a coat of NATO black.

Each fuselage half comes in two sections, the rear component which is common to both the Mk1 and MkIVF. The idea that you build front and back separately and then bring the two together after the wings have been fitted. I didn't fancy that idea, so joined front and rear sections to form one complete fuselage half at the very start of the build.

The wings got a coat of NATO black, along with the pit assembly and the engines.

As you can see I added the diagonal braces to the main engine stays. These were made from sections of wire taken from multistrand model railway wire, rolled straight and then super glued in.

This morning I managed to get a coat of interior green onto the pit, wheel bays and flaps.

I then applied a thin, random coat of IJA Grey/green to the centre of panels and in a downward direction to the pit etc.

It looks a bit stark now, but by the time it is glossed and washed it will look fine.

Next up is detail painting of the interior, after which it will be time for a gloss coat and wash.

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Each fuselage half comes in two sections, the rear component which is common to both the Mk1 and MkIVF. The idea that you build front and back separately and then bring the two together after the wings have been fitted. I didn't fancy that idea, so joined front and rear sections to form one complete fuselage half at the very start of the build.

How easy is this? Is it just a case of lining up the sections on a flat surface and gluing? I'm wondering how good the alignment is.

Having spent some time looking at pics of various Blenheims, it is clear the solid molded wing tip lights aren't going to cut it. (See what I did there? Suit yourselves!) So I've cut out the molded lights ahead of replacing them with some clear sprue.

Here's the port side of the fuselage painted up, and with the IP decal applied, not that you can see it from this angle.

This just needs an oil wash and a coat of matt varnish, and the fuselage can be closed up, along with the pilot's seat and rear bulkhead.

I'm quite pleased with how the belts came out, not quite Eduard, but they'll do under a closed canopy.

Now what about the other side of the fuselage I hear you ask? Yes well. You now how I said the joint between the front and rear sections was delicate? Well I went and proved it!

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Currently waiting for the final gloss coat on the interior to dry before I apply an oil wash so decided to tackle some of the other parts of the build.

First up were the wing navigation lights, having carved out the solid representations earlier in the week.

Being Airfix plastic it is very easy to carve, and was the work of a few minutes. Next up were the lenses themselves, fashioned from clear sprue from the kit, roughly sanded to shape and painted with a coat of Tamiya Cockpit Green.

These were then glued in with thick CA, I won't call it super as it isn't, a 'super' glue would stick to the part first not me!

As you can see I still need to sort out the landing light.

Sticking with the glazing theme I gave the edges of all the clear canopy components a coat of Tamiya Cockpit Green, just so that when they are joined you can't see the join through the glazing.

Having done that it was time to turn my attention to the engine cowlings.

Now I must admit I found these quite fiddly with minimal jointing area, but then that's probably because I've built them free standing without an engine the middle for support.

Focus has been on neatening the seams, but also hollowing out the exhausts as they look dreadful molded solid. The end result is this....

Much better to my eyes at least.

That'll have to do for today as off to see the Mission Impossible movie this evening.